


Moemon: A Thousand Loves

by animatedrose



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Moemon - Freeform, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-05-11 14:31:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5629867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animatedrose/pseuds/animatedrose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Calem has just turned ten years old and is out to start his journey with his first Moemon, a Fennekin named Kit. Miscommunication occurs, resulting in a temporary pact becoming a permanent claim. Calem has to figure out what he really wants to do on this journey, especially concerning his relationship with Kit. Team Flare certainly doesn't help matters when they appear to cause havoc in the Kalos region.</p><p>Stars Moemon in place of Pokemon, so all of them are super-powered humans at different age ranges depending on evolution state. Example: First stages are kids, second stages are teenagers, third stages are adults, Legendaries are permanently adults, etc.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I Said BOND, Not CLAIM!!

**Author's Note:**

> Since I’ve started doing Omegaverse stuff to get my NSFW bunnies out, more have spawned. Typical…
> 
> I’ve written a bunch of Moemon stuff in the past, avoiding the NSFW trope that tends to cling to it. Now I’m letting those bunnies run wild here. Congrats, I’m joining the NSFW Moemon train now. Yay?
> 
> Following the X/Y plotline for this because I really love Calem. Just tossed glasses on him to up the cuteness factor in this but otherwise it’s just generic Calem from the start of the game. Also got plans that involve a good chunk of Kalos’ Pokémon. Of course, typical side-plot stuff and twists will occur, as is my usual fashion in my Pokémon stories.
> 
> If you’re under 18, get out now. I’m no longer liable for any damage done to your innocence.
> 
> As this is NSFW (not safe for work), there will be a large amount of violence and sex involved. Most of it will be consensual but there will be noncon, dubcon, and intercourse between a ten-year-old boy and adult Moemon. Boy-on-boy and girl-on-girl will be just as prevalent as the traditional boy-on-girl pairings will be. There may be hints of incest as well as threeways and gangbangs and whatever else I decide to toss in based on how far I take the sex in this story. Trigger warnings and such for all that stuff.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

“I’m heading out, mom!” Calem cried, dashing out the front door.

“Calem! Wait!” Grace shouted, darting after him.

Calem bolted, shoes slapping the cobble of the front yard path. He had to hit the next town and fast. The others were waiting for him there. Waiting with the Professor’s request. He had to get there!

The raven-haired boy yelped, crashing into and rebounding off of someone. He yelped, butt aching from hitting the ground. His eyes watered, making his vision blurrier than usual. His glasses were askew, nearly falling off one ear.

“And here I thought those glasses were to help you see better. Now I’m wondering if they’re just for looks. Don’t worry, they make you look cute, my child.”

Calem corrected his glasses in time to see a woman crouch on the cobble in front of him. She was a big woman dressed primarily in shades of gray. There was a large gray horn jutting from her thick gray hair, which might have scared any other person off instantly. Not Calem though. He knew this woman very well.

“Sorry, Rhya,” the ten-year-old muttered, looking down at his shoes.

“Good job, Rhya!” Grace called, reaching them. The brown-haired woman looked down at her son and sighed. “I told you to wait. I wanted to give you this.”

She dropped a backpack into his lap.

“I know you’re just going one town over but I don’t want you to get hurt on the way there or back. And knowing you, once you get your Moemon, you’ll be taking off right away,” Grace said sadly.

“Mom, I’m only going to be gone for an hour or two. I’ll be right back. I’ll even stay one more night here, okay?” Calem offered, getting to his feet. “You’ll get to see my Moemon and everything.”

“Good. I want to see if they’re worthy of being near my child,” Rhya declared firmly.

“Rhya, that decision belongs to Calem alone. I know you want to help but you have to learn to let him go,” Grace commented.

The horned woman sighed, looking away. “I just…don’t want my child to suffer. It can be dangerous out there.”

“I’ll be okay, Rhya, really,” Calem reassured.

“…I know you will be. I just worry,” Rhya admitted. “Do be careful and…do come back sometimes. I would like to see how strong you are becoming.”

“I will. I’ll be back in a few hours, okay. We’ll eat supper together and you can see my Moemon and everything,” Calem promised. “So…don’t worry. Please?”

Rhya smiled softly at the concern on the boy’s face. “I shall not worry…much. You are still my child as much as you are Grace’s. My worry is my love. Now go…before I decide not to let you.”

Calem slung the backpack on and bolted down the path, zipping out of town. Grace sighed, arms crossed. Rhya smiled before turning to her companion.

“He will be a very strong trainer, Grace. Our child is very strong.”

“I know he is, Rhya. I’m glad you were here to help me after what happened to his father,” Grace said, smiling sadly.

“Grace, I would never abandon you. You are my best friend, my claim, my beloved. That man entrusted me with you the moment he took his final breath and not a day goes by that I don’t thank him for giving me a chance to prove my love for you,” Rhya explained, gathering the other woman in her arms. “I’ve been with you since you began racing and I will be here long after you are no longer able to race. I love you and I love Calem. You are both so strong.”

“And you stronger still, Rhya,” Grace said softly, arms wrapping around the woman’s waist. “Calem will be fine. He knows Moemon because he had you to teach him. You, his big, strong, brave, powerful Rhyhorn friend.”

“I would like to think I am more than a friend, Grace. I raised him as you did. He is my child as he is yours,” Rhya countered mischievously, fingers creeping up sensitive sides, watching her trainer squirm with giggles. “You were mine first and you will be mine until the end. Calem may have a new friend soon but he will always be mine for I raised him.”

“Inside, Rhya!” Grace choked between laughs. “The neighbors will see!”

“I’d love to let them see,” Rhya hissed, but she indeed ceased her assault. “But I know how nervous you get with public intimacy. Let us go indoors where we can be…more intimate.”

“Calem will be home in a few hours!”

“And that will be plenty of time for us to have some fun, dear Grace. Let us take the opportunity we have. It will be much more fun to start now than to wait until he leaves tomorrow.”

“…Fine.”

They both went indoors, the door closing behind them, the lock set in place. Trainer and loyal Moemon became one once more.

.o.o.o.o.

Route 1 had always been empty for as long as Calem could remember. Why Rhya was so concerned, the boy would never know. Maybe she thought he still couldn’t properly protect himself? Then he was determined to prove her wrong.

Aquacorde Town loomed ahead, bringing with it the joys of an adventure. An adventure filled with Moemon!

Moemon were humans with extraordinary powers. They were once monsters of various shapes and sizes that eventually evolved over time to resemble the humans they loved so much. Thus they became Moemon, adopting the forms of humans while retaining the supernatural powers of the beasts they had once been. Moemon could be found all over the world, wild and tame. Ten-year-old boys and girls could head out to start catching their own Moemon after receiving their training licenses and a MoeDex to keep track of their encounters from their regional professor. In Calem’s case, Professor Sycamore.

“Calem, over here!”

Four kids sat around a table, all of them waving to grab his attention. Calem ran over to them, eyes lighting up when he saw the row of MoeDexes and the case of MoeBalls. His training license had come in the mail that morning, along with the request that he come to Aquacorde to pick up his Moemon and MoeDex. There was no sign of Professor Sycamore, though.

The group consisted of kids his age, two of them coming from his hometown—Shauna and Serena. The other two, Trevor and Tierno, were from towns further north of Aquacorde. Calem had only briefly met all of them when his family first moved to Vaniville Town. Beyond that, the most he knew was that they were all his age and affiliated with Professor Sycamore.

“The professor had a lot of work to do, so Tierno and I came to make these deliveries in his stead,” Trevor said. “Please accept this MoeDex and select a Moemon. Professor Sycamore apologizes in advance for not being here and says he’ll be waiting for you in Lumiose City at his lab there. He’s excited to meet you.”

“Awww! I wanted to meet him now,” Shauna complained.

“It’s just a bit longer. For now, we best take what we need and move on,” Serena instructed, picking up a MoeDex. “So, who wants what Moemon?”

“Ooh! Ooh! I want Chespin!” Shauna cried.

“I can take Fennekin,” Calem offered. “I always liked Fire-types.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to take Froakie,” Serena decided, selecting the MoeBall. “Good to see that was settled nicely. Trevor, Tierno, thank you for bringing these to us. Shauna and I will head out to Lumiose tonight.”

“Then I guess we’ll be seeing you tomorrow or so,” Trevor guessed, hopping from his chair. “Good luck on the journey. You’ll need to beat Santalune Gym to get there but I’m sure that won’t be hard for you, Serena.”

“Good luck to you both,” Serena said.

“Have fun with the Moemon! Can’t wait to see you at the lab, guys! Bye!” Tierno chirped merrily.

Trevor and Tierno left the table with the rest of their equipment and headed north out of Aquacorde. Serena rose, stretching before she headed north too.

“Shauna, come on! We have to get MoeBalls and Potions if we want to get through the forest safely,” the blonde girl called.

“Hold on! I want to test out my cute Chespin first!” Shauna cried.

“Test out? How are you going to do that here, Shauna?” Serena asked. “Come on! Route 2 is up ahead. You can test Chespin there.”

“I don’t want to test Chespin against a wild Moemon!” Shauna argued. She smirked at Calem. “I want to test Chespin against another trainer. Calem, I challenge you right now!”

“Huh? So suddenly? What the heck, Shauna!” Calem yelped.

“Oh no. Shauna!” Serena cried. “Ugh… Calem, you have to fight her now.”

“Huh? Why?” Calem yelped.

“It’s the rules! Our eyes have met so we must do battle with our Moemon!” Shauna declared proudly. “Now throw out your Moemon and let’s see how my Chespin does!”

“…Ugh. Fine,” Calem groaned.

They both unleashed their Moemon.

Shauna’s Chespin was a little boy with tanned brown skin, curly dark brown hair, gray eyes, a reddened nose, and buck teeth. He wore a green hooded sweatshirt with various quills sticking from the hood and a red-tipped green tail coming from the bottom, the front of the hoodie being light brown while the sleeves were dark brown. Light brown pants and shoes with white fronts completed the look.

Calem’s Fennekin was a little girl with white skin, short blonde hair, orange-red eyes, and a pair of large fox ears sticking from her head, thick orange fur poking out from the ears. She had thin limbs and wore a puffy yellow blouse and skirt. A thick fox tail tipped in orange stuck out from her skirt.

“Use Vine Whip, Chess!” Shauna ordered.

“Kit, use Ember!” Calem called.

…Nothing happened…

“Who’s Chess? Or Kit?” the Chespin asked.

“Is that us? Do we have names now?” the Fennekin chirped.

“You have to tell them their names before they’ll fight for you,” Serena said firmly, stopping between the two opponents. “Watch me for example.”

Out of the MoeBall came Serena’s Froakie. It was a little boy with white skin and light blue hair with a single dark blue stripe running along the top of it. The whites of his eyes were yellow and the irises were gray. He wore a thick blue coat with a hood made of white bubbles that clung to the back of his neck and shoulders, white gloves, blue pants, and blue shoes.

“Froakie,” Serena called gently.

“Huh? Me?” the little boy asked, turning to look at her. “Are you my trainer?”

“Yes, I am. I’m going to give you a name now, okay?” Serena asked.

“Okay,” the boy nodded.

“How about…Troy?” Serena suggested.

“Troy? Ooh, I like it,” the boy cooed. “Okay! I’ll be Troy!”

“Good. Now come here. We have to make a pact,” Serena instructed.

“Oh, duh! I forgot that!” Shauna cried, slapping her forehead. “A Moemon won’t listen to you without a pact!”

“A pact?” Calem repeated, confused. “I thought it was a claim?”

“A pact and a claim are different,” Serena explained, gathering Troy in her arms. “A pact is temporary while a claim is permanent. It’s advised that you always start with a pact and move on to a claim once your relationship has been cemented. A pact can be broken. A claim cannot.”

“Oh…” Calem felt stupid suddenly. He’d always heard Rhya talk about claims, especially about the one between her and Grace. A pact had never come up before. “Then what’s a pact?”

“This,” Serena said.

She moved down and kissed Troy on the lips. The boy smiled, cheeks flushing pink. A burst of light came from Troy’s MoeBall, the button decorated with a pink heart. When the kiss was broken, the light died down. Troy smiled widely.

“That is a pact,” Serena declared, straightening up. “Once you make a pact with a captured Moemon, you can train and battle with them. Without a pact, you cannot legally use that Moemon in battle or force them to do much of anything against their will. You have to earn their trust over a maximum period of three days. That’s all the longer you can hold a Moemon without a pact before they’re automatically released back into the wild.”

“Oh,” Calem nodded. “That’s understandable. So…a kiss is a pact. Then what’s a claim?”

“Um…” Serena’s face flushed. “Um…I can explain…but not out here. Somewhere more private would be better.”

“Huh? Is it that much worse than a kiss, Serena?” Shauna asked.

“I’ll explain later. We should probably get supplies so we can get through Santalune Forest safely,” Serena deflected, turning away. “Come on, you two.”

“Um, actually…I kind of promised to stay home one more night,” Calem admitted. “You see, mom’s worried and so is her Rhyhorn so I was…you know…”

“It’s fine. We’ll see you in Santalune City tomorrow then…or something,” Serena decided. “Have a nice day. Come on, Shauna.”

“Okay! See you later, Calem!” Shauna chirped, darting down the stairs after Serena with Chess and Troy toddling after them.

Calem sighed in relief as the girls vanished downtown. “At least I got out of that battle. Thanks, Serena,” he muttered. He looked down at his Fennekin. “Oh yeah, I need to do that…pact…with you.”

“I’m Kit?” the Fennekin asked.

“Yeah, you’re Kit. That’s your name now,” Calem confirmed, kneeling down in front of her. “So, I’ve just got to…kiss you…right?”

“That’s the pact!” Kit nodded, smiling.

Calem groaned. Kissing was weird for him. He’d only ever really kissed his mother or Rhya before. Kissing girls had been crossed out due to cooties when he’d been younger. Now that he was ten, he still didn’t see the appeal of kissing girls.

But still…this wasn’t a human girl. This would be like kissing Rhya. No cooties, right? Besides, he had to if he wanted to keep Kit.

He sighed. “Then…let’s just do it.”

Calem leaned forward, hands on Kit’s tiny shoulders. She was so small compared to him, like a three-year-old. It was kind of creepy.

He shoved those thoughts aside and closed his eyes. Tiny lips pressed against his, little hands grasping his coat sleeves. There wasn’t really anything more to it than that, just skin on skin contact. That wasn’t so strange at all.

He opened his eyes and pulled away. Pulling the MoeBall from his belt, he looked at the glowing pink heart there. The pact was complete.

“There we go. That wasn’t as bad as it seemed,” Calem admitted.

Kit giggled, cheeks pink. “Thank you. I hope one day you will claim me too.”

“We’ll see,” Calem shrugged, standing up. _Whatever a claim even is. I’ve got to find out from Serena what that entails. Unless mom or Rhya can tell me._

He left Aquacorde Town, Kit at his heels, and backtracked home to Vaniville Town. Rhya was seated on a colorful mat in the front yard, meditating or something. Calem was never completely sure of what she was doing. It didn’t look like any kind of training he’d ever seen before.

“Rhya, I’m back!” he called.

The horned woman opened her eyes, zeroing in on the boy before she rose gracefully off the ground. As she approached, she noticed Kit. The tiny fox Moemon clung to the back of Calem’s leg, shivering, eyes wide in shock at the sight of the larger Moemon.

“So, this is your Moemon, Calem?” Rhya asked.

“This is Kit, my Fennekin. We’ve already formed a pact and everything, so we’ll be ready to head out first thing tomorrow morning,” Calem replied, puffing his chest with pride.

“Rhya! Is Calem home?” Grace called from inside.

“Go see your mother. Dinner should be ready soon,” Rhya suggested. “I wish to speak to Kit…alone. Is that all right?”

“Well…I guess.” The boy looked down at Kit. “Kit, this is Rhya. She’s my mom’s Rhyhorn. She won’t hurt you. I’ll just be inside, so be good.”

“…O-o-okay,” Kit squeaked, releasing Calem’s leg and wrapping her arms around herself. “I’ll b-b-be good, p-p-promise.”

Calem looked at Rhya. “Rhya…”

“I won’t do anything bad. I just want to make sure this Moemon will be able to protect you out there,” Rhya explained. “I need to make sure she is a good match. Now go inside. Your mother wants to know what happened.”

“…Okay,” Calem relented, heading inside.

A few minutes passed as Rhya stared at Kit. The Fennekin Moemon shivered violently, arms tightening around her tiny frame. Rhya continued to stare, red eyes narrow as she looked over the quivering Moemon child before her. Then she knelt down, making the blonde jump in surprise.

“You’re the Moemon that Professor Sycamore has given to my child,” she said.

“Your child? Calem is a Moemon?” Kit asked, confused.

“No, Calem is a human. He is the child of my master, Grace. I have raised him alongside her, so he is my child as he is hers,” Rhya corrected firmly. “Professor Sycamore will have my child journey through Kalos to help him grow, as all children must. You are the Moemon sent to accompany my child.”

“…Am I in t-t-trouble?” Kit wondered.

“Not yet,” Rhya replied, frowning. “My child is very special to me and my master. I do not wish to see him unhappy or in pain. When the professor sent my child’s license, I knew soon I would need to decide whether to let him go or not. That would depend on the Moemon he chose to be his first partner. You already have a pact…but it can be broken if needed.”

“…Do you not like me?” Kit asked nervously.

“It’s not about me liking you. That is irrelevant,” Rhya stated. “This is about how you will treat my child. If you wish to be his partner, I need to be certain that you will love and protect him as I have since he was born. I will be passing on my duties to you, little fox. I need to be sure that you can handle the burden.”

“I like Calem lots. He’s nice,” Kit admitted, cheeks pink.

“You’ll need to do more than like him,” Rhya pointed out. “If you will be is first partner, disloyalty cannot be tolerated. You will be with Calem from start to finish and beyond. A child’s first partner should never have reason to hurt or betray their master, no matter what. You must be ready to give your all to him at any point. I am trusting you with my child, the world of my master and mine. If I cannot trust you to love him without question for as long as you live and breathe, then say so now. I will not allow any less from my child’s first than what I gave to my master when I became her first.”

“Love Calem…forever?” Kit’s face turned red. “I… I love Calem now. I love him lots! But…I’m not very strong.”

“Then get stronger. You need to be strong enough for both of you. You are his first and his ultimate defense from the world. Any Moemon that wishes to bond with my child must get through you first,” Rhya instructed. “So your bond with my child must be the strongest bond he has. Stronger than any other bond he may make. Understand?”

“A really strong bond? Then…okay!” Kit nodded, eyes sparkling. “I will bond with Calem lots tonight. I’ll prove that I can be to Calem now what you were since he was born. So please don’t hate me!”

Rhya smirked, patting the child’s head. “Then we’ll see come morning what your efforts have netted you. You seem like a very determined Moemon, Kit. Prove to me you are worthy of standing alongside my child and calling yourselves partners!”

“I will, I will!” Kit promised, fired up now.

“Rhya! Kit! Dinner time!” Grace called.

“You begin after dinner. I will review your progress come morning to see how worthy you are of this task,” Rhya decided, standing up. “Now let us eat.”

“Yay! Food! Yay!” Kit cried, bouncing alongside the older Moemon as they entered the house for dinner.

.o.o.o.o.

Dinner went well, in Calem’s opinion. His mother had fallen for Kit instantly and almost couldn’t stop with the baby-talk. Kit loved her back and ate plenty of food. Rhya had been quiet, alternating between watching Kit and watching Calem. It made the boy nervous. Did something happen between the two Moemon outside?

“I think I’ll take Kit upstairs with me to pack for tomorrow,” Calem decided, rising from the table. “Come on, Kit.”

“Okay!” Kit chirped, slipping out of her chair to follow Calem.

Grace sighed as the children disappeared up the stairs. “So, Rhya, what do you think of her?”

“She needs better manners and more training,” Rhya replied. “But she seems sweet enough. She likes Calem and Calem seems to enjoy being with her. I think with time to bond more, they’ll be strong partners, like you and I are.”

“Is that what you told her to do? Bond with Calem more?” Grace wondered.

“Their bond could be much stronger. It would benefit them more that way,” Rhya admitted. “I’ll judge them in the morning. For now, let them rest and relax before they set off.”

“You’re going to let them go?”

“It would be wrong of me to keep Calem here,” Rhya admitted. “Of course, his partner doesn’t know that. A little intimidation can do wonders.”

“Let’s just hope your intimidation wasn’t overboard, Rhya.”

“I doubt it was. I was very clear about what I wanted her to do,” Rhya replied. “Tomorrow they should be closer. They’ll be better prepared for the world then. You’ll see.”

.o.o.o.o.

 _She wants me to be the best partner for Master,_ Kit thought, watching Calem pack clothes into a bag. _A pact…isn’t good enough. Then…we need a claim. She wants us to claim one another then, right? Then our bond will be unbreakable! Ms. Rhya will be so happy with me!_

“Phew!” Calem flopped onto the bed beside her. “I think that’s everything! Geez, it gets so dark so fast here!”

“We’ll be leaving tomorrow, right? Miss Rhya told me that,” Kit chirped.

“Yeah, as soon as we can,” Calem confirmed, arm over his face. “Man, I’m tired…but I’m so buzzed. I can’t wait to head out.”

“Master?”

“You can just call me Calem,” the boy commented, looking at her. “No need to be so formal with me.”

“Do you like me?” Kit asked, leaning over him.

“…You mean like-like? Love?” Calem’s face darkened. “Um… No offense but I just met you. We have a pact and all, but we’re still just friends. I don’t think I’m ready for love or anything that big yet, Kit.”

“Miss Rhya says we need to have a really strong bond,” Kit commented. “Then I can always protect you.”

“We’ll bond, but that takes time. Don’t worry, Kit. There’s no rush,” Calem reassured.

_“Your bond with my child must be the strongest bond he has. Stronger than any other bond he may make.”_

Calem sighed, eyes closing. He suddenly jumped when a sharp **ZIP** reached his ears. He sat up on his elbows, staring at Kit in shock. The Fennekin was perched on his lap, his zipper pulled down and her hand tugging at the elastic of his underwear. His jaw dropped.

“…Kit? What are you doing?”

“Miss Rhya says I have to have a really strong bond with you. That I’m your first and must love you forever,” Kit explained. “A pact isn’t strong enough. A claim is stronger. I want Calem to claim me so I can protect you.”

“I…I don’t even know what a claim is! And what are you doing to my underwear?” Calem demanded, face red in embarrassment.

“Getting them out of the way so we can do the claim,” Kit replied, tugging at the material.

“Why are you undressing me? Kit, stop! That’s an ord—aaaaah!”

There was pressure on the front of his underwear. It wasn’t painful but it sent sparks of something up his spine. He fell back, a strangled noise escaping him. His hips lifted and Kit didn’t hesitate to use her free hand to pull down his pants and underwear, exposing him for her to see. The Moemon made a small noise of awe.

Calem’s hips dropped back on the bed, the pressure lifting. _What was that?_ he wondered hazily. He looked at Kit, who could only stare at him. “K-Kit? What did you do just then? It felt…weird…”

Kit lowered her head to his hips and Calem gasped again. Something warm and wet touched him…and not in a decent place. He jerked, forcing himself to lean on his elbows to see. Kit was licking his penis, leaving cooling stripes of saliva on the skin there. Each lick made Calem shiver violently.

“K-K-Kit~! St-Stop that! That’s filthy!” Calem choked between shudders. “Why are you licking that?”

“So we can perform a claim,” Kit replied. “Then I can protect and love you forever. That’s what Miss Rhya wants me to do.”

“R-Rhya? She put you up to this?” Calem asked, unable to process that. “N-No! Stop that, Kit! Sto—aaaaaaah!”

Kit was no longer licking. She took his length in her mouth and began to suck, her tongue dragging along the underside. Calem moaned, falling back again. Something deep in his gut twisted, pressure building. This weird sensation felt…really good, actually. Was this really a claim?

The Moemon kept sucking and sucking. The pressure built in Calem’s gut, pleasure crashing over him. He didn’t entirely get what was happening. Was this what his mom and Rhya had done in their claim? Did all older trainers do this? Then why was Kit doing it to him now?

_“That’s what Miss Rhya wants me to do.”_

Calem moaned, hips moving slightly to try and add to the pleasure. The words tumbled in his head, jumbling their meanings. He couldn’t recall why this was happening. All he knew was pleasure.

With a **POP** , cool air struck his cock and made him hiss. Kit moved, having been peeling away her underwear as she pleasured Calem. While her trainer lay gasping, the Moemon moved atop his erect penis and lined herself up.

“Now for you to claim me. Then we can be together forever,” Kit said softly, lovingly.

“That wasn’t the claim? Then wha—aaaaaaaah!”

Kit sank down in one drop, moaning. She felt so full suddenly. He was fully sheathed inside of her tiny body, hot and pulsing and so big. The Fennekin shuddered before beginning to rock, bouncing inch by inch, growing bolder each time. Soon she was riding him full on, each impalement sending moans spilling from them both.

“Oh Arceus, Kit! Oooooooh!” Calem moaned, hips rocking into her. The pleasure was blinding. He could hardly control his own actions. “K-K-Kiiiiiiiiiit!”

“Is Master satisfied? Will he claim me now?” Kit whined, trying to bounce faster. She could feel her peak nearing. “M-Master, I’m coming! M-M-Master!”

Calem gasped, crying out. The pressure exploded and he cried, emptying himself into the tiny Moemon atop him. The pleasure swamped him, stealing all of his strength. He slumped back onto the bed, Kit resting on his chest. She moaned, moving so he slipped out of her.

“Aaaaah! Master felt so good. Master was so good,” Kit mewed, snuggling against his chest. “Now that we have done the claim, I can protect Master. Miss Rhya will be so proud of me…”

Calem was already drifting to sleep. He was too tired to move, let alone pull his pants up and shut the light off. Hopefully his mom and Rhya didn’t come in and see him like that. That would be the worst.

If he’d stayed up in a bit longer, he might’ve noticed something. Kit’s MoeBall, placed atop the dresser, was faintly glowing. The heart on the button had turned from pink…to red.

.o.o.o.o.

“WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE?!!”

Calem woke with a start. Kit was gone and Rhya was screaming somewhere and…his pants were down? No, his underwear was too! He yelped, seeing his bedroom door wide open. Had someone come in and seen him like this? He yanked his pants up in a hurry, getting off of his bed.

What happened last night? Why had his pants been down? Where was Kit?

He looked around for the Moemon but found no sign of her. He picked up her MoeBall, checking it. The transparent red top showed no signs of occupancy. She wasn’t in his room at all.

He paused in putting the MoeBall down. The heart on the button had changed. It wasn’t pink anymore. It had turned red. Why?

“Calem? Are you awake?” his mother called from outside the room.

“Yeah,” Calem replied. “Mom, where’s Kit?”

“Rhya is talking to her,” Grace replied, stepping into the room. “Calem, did Kit…do anything to you last night? Anything…indecent?”

“Indecent? What are yo—” Calem froze. The memories were flooding back. “…Mom? Did you and Rhya…do that too? Was that…a claim?”

“Oh Arceus, Rhya was right. Kit really did…” Grace whispered, gathering Calem up. “It’s okay. We can fix this. Kit will be punished for taking advantage of you like that. You didn’t ask her to do that with you, right?”

“N-No. She did it on her own,” Calem responded shakily. “S-Something about Rhya…telling her that was best…to protect me…”

“No, no, sweetie, no. Rhya never meant that. She would never tell a Moemon to force a claim like that, especially not on someone so young,” Grace explained, rubbing his back soothingly. “She wanted you two to become close friends through your pact. She never meant for you to claim Kit. It’s too soon for a claim. You two barely know each other and now…”

“Now we’re stuck together…like you and Rhya,” Calem muttered. “Mom…did you two…?”

Grace sighed, cheeks warm. “I guess since you’ve done it…I better tell you exactly what just happened. My goodness, giving the talk to my ten-year-old… I never saw that coming.”

“The talk? What talk?” Calem asked, suddenly nervous.

Grace sighed, pulling away so she could look her son in the eye. “The sex talk. You just lost your virginity, Calem.”

.o.o.o.o.

“You told me that my bond had to be the strongest! And now it is!” Kit cried.

Rhya glared angrily at the squirming Moemon child dangling from her fist. The fox girl clearly had no clue that what she had done was wrong. The Rhyhorn wanted to strangle the girl right then and there.

“Do you want to know what you did, Kit?” she hissed. “You _raped_ my child! That’s what it was! It was a claim through rape!”

“I only did what you said!” Kit argued.

“I told you to bond with him. I never told you to form a claim and I _certainly_ never told you to rape him in the process!” Rhya snarled, shaking the child by the scruff. “Rape is a crime, Kit!”

“I didn’t mean it! I was trying to do what you wanted!” Kit wailed, kicking and squirming.

“Well, you did the wrong thing! My child is ten years old and you’ve stolen his virginity and lost your own! You’ve forced a claim, Kit! You _never_ force a claim!”

“…Does Calem hate me now? I just wanted to protect him and love him like you wanted me to,” Kit whimpered, fat tears slipping down her cheeks.

Rhya sighed, watching the Moemon child cry. It tugged at her heartstrings but she gritted her teeth and bared it. What Kit did was wrong. She deserved no pity or forgiveness.

“You bound yourself and my child together for life through force, Kit. That is unforgiveable. Calem never gave you permission for either act but you did it anyways. I hope you’re ready to pay for that.”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Kit sobbed, scrubbing her face with her tiny hands. “Please don’t hate me! I’m sorry!”

The door creaked open behind them. Rhya turned to see Grace step into the room. Calem followed behind her, head down, frowning. Rhya sighed. Calem had been given the talk. The Rhyhorn put Kit down and faced Grace.

“What’s the verdict?”

“Aside from contacting Augustine about this, there’s nothing we can really do,” Grace explained. “A claim cannot be broken. Calem has…decided to continue forth with the professor’s request, at least until Lumiose. After that, Calem will decide what to do next.”

Kit whimpered, slowly padding over to Calem. “Calem? Do you hate me?”

“…I don’t know. I feel like I should be mad…but I can’t feel much of anything right now,” Calem admitted.

“Maybe you should stay home another day,” Rhya suggested.

“It won’t make anything better,” Calem said hollowly. “The sooner I get moving and see the professor, the sooner I can figure out what to do from here.”

“Honey, don’t push yourself. If you need to rest, then wait a d—”

“I’m fine!” Calem said firmly. “I just…need time to think. May as well start heading to Lumiose while I do.”

“…If you think that’s best,” Grace conceded. “Eat breakfast first, though. You’ll need your strength.”

Breakfast was a silent affair. Calem didn’t speak. Kit simply sniffled, scrubbing her teary face with one sleeve while eating with her free hand. When they were done, Calem finished packing and headed downstairs. Grace and Rhya were waiting in the front yard.

“Be careful. Contact me when you get to Santalune, okay?” Grace requested, hugging him. “If things feel too rough, you can come home.”

“I’ll be okay,” Calem replied dully.

“If any Moemon jumps out, you fight first and ask questions later. I don’t care what anyone says. Your number one priority now is Calem’s safety,” Rhya declared harshly, glaring down at Kit. “If I see even one scratch on him when he calls us at Santalune…”

Kit shuddered, nodding quickly. She understood. The threat didn’t need to be completed.

“Good luck,” Grace wished.

“Thanks,” Calem said, walking out of their yard. “…I think I’ll need it…”


	2. Can It Be Broken?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took forever to finish. This chapter was really hard to get through due to the stuff in the latter half of the chapter. But here, it's done!
> 
> Got events for next chapter planned out and I'm hoping to get started on that right away, along with my Omegaverse junk. I hope you enjoy!

Calem stopped in front of Route 2, the bridge to Aquacorde Town spanning over the river behind them. He still felt numb and disconnected. He almost felt asleep. Maybe this was all a bad dream and he’d wake up any minute now, greeted by his happy Moemon that didn’t just steal his virginity and force a claim on him the night before.

But the freshly bought MoeBalls at his belt felt solid and real. So did the wind rustling through the leaves and the smell of river water. Everything looked crisp and clear, not foggy and sleep-riddled. This was reality.

Calem wasn’t sure he liked reality anymore.

He and Kit hadn’t spoken yet. Not after leaving the house, not on the way to Aquacorde, and not now. Silence reigned between them. Kit looked like she wanted to speak, opening her mouth sometimes, but no sound came out and she’d close her mouth again in sadness. The tears had stopped falling when they entered Aquacorde Town.

Calem wondered why Kit was crying. Shouldn’t he be the one crying? He was raped. Yet the tears wouldn’t come. Nothing but numbness. He hated it.

The long grass swayed before them. Inside lurked other Moemon, all waiting to pounce on him. Past that laid Santalune Forest, home to more Moemon and the first pack of Moemon trainers that Calem would ever face. Beyond that lay Route 3 and Santalune City, home of the first Kalos Gym Leader.

Calem wasn’t as excited to fight the Gym Leader as he once had been.

 _Standing around here won’t fix anything. The sooner I get to Lumiose and find Prof. Sycamore, the sooner I can figure out what I’m supposed to do to fix this,_ he thought, hands clenched.

He forced himself to cross the grass. It brushed up to his knees, tickling his ankles when the thin blades slipped under the cuffs of his pants. Kit followed him, nearly up to her chin in grass. She forged ahead, effectively dogging his heels with each long stride the boy took. The first patch was crossed easily and now the second loomed ahead, along with a solitary boy guarding the entrance to Santalune Forest.

“Master, look out!”

Kit’s shout was the only warning he got. Kit pounced, tiny fireballs bursting from her mouth. A young girl—a Pidgey Moemon—shrieked, tumbling away to put out the tiny fires on her wings. Calem tensed before bolting across. A tiny boy with rabbit ears—a Bunnelby Moemon—charged at him, only to be knocked aside by Kit with a stick. Calem flung himself to the dirt at the end of the patch, Kit rolling to a stop beside him.

“Is that how every route will be?” he moaned. _It’s like an army of three-year-olds were waiting for me. What the hell?_

“It’s okay…because Kit is here…to save Master…” Kit gasped.

“…Thanks…” Calem muttered, pushing himself to his hands and knees.

“Having fun in the dirt?” the boy before them asked, snickering. “Man, must be rough to be a newbie. This battle will be easy! Zigzagoon, show them!”

“Kit,” Calem warned, shoving himself to his feet.

“G-got it,” the Fennekin Moemon nodded, rolling onto her front and getting to her feet. “I won’t…lose…for Master…”

A little Moemon boy wearing a brown-and-white-striped shirt and a burglar mask over his eyes stood before them, teeth bared in a grin. The Zigzagoon pounced, crashing into Kit hard enough to fling her into the grass. Kit lashed out with her tiny hands, leaving red welts on his arm from her feeble scratching. He yelped, twisting to throw her off before hitting her violently with a fist.

“You! Can’t! Beat! Me!” he shouted, hitting with each word.

Kit shrieked, blood gushing from her nose and lip. She kicked him hard in the leg, knocking him off. Flames sprung from her mouth, lighting his clothes up and burning him. The Zigzagoon cried out, racing to his trainer and screaming for water.

Kit rolled onto her hands and knees, scrubbing blood away with her arm. Red streaks decorated her skin. She stood, patting dirt from her dress before straightening. The Zigzagoon boy had fainted and was returned to his MoeBall by his trainer.

“Geez! That Fennekin is pretty strong,” he complimented. “I thought my Zigzagoon had it there.”

“Thanks.” The words sounded hollow coming from Calem.

“But if you think this was easy, the woods will give you a run for your money. Good luck,” the boy wished, heading for the bridge to go heal his Moemon.

Kit sniffed. “It _will_ be easy! I can beat bugs!”

Calem sighed, straightening his glasses before moving forward. Santalune Forest was heavily shaded due to the thick canopy, sunbeams breaking through to light up a rough path. He followed it, Kit at his heels. The forest was rather quiet despite the breeze.

Almost _too_ quiet.

“Where are all the other Moemon, Master?” Kit asked, looking around nervously.

“I don’t know,” Calem shrugged, not entirely caring.

It was like the forest was lifeless. There was no sign of other trainers or of any Moemon. The tall grass that broke up the path in patches was empty. The only sound was the breeze and even that was a faint whisper.

“I don’t like this. It’s scary,” Kit whimpered.

Calem forged ahead. The sooner he got to Santalune City, the better. All the better if there were no trainers or Moemon in the way. It would just make the trip faster, in his opinion.

“Is it always this quiet?” Kit wondered, staying close to her trainer.

Calem didn’t respond. He kept track of the path, following the sunbeams.

“This is really scary, Master.”

“…”

“Does anyone actually live here?”

“…”

“What if they’re all dead?”

“…”

“Where is everyone?!” Kit stomped her foot on the ground, puffing up. “This isn’t funny anymore! I don’t like this! It’s too quiet and I’m scared and Master won’t talk to me because he hates me and—”

A loud scream pierced the silence, jolting Kit into a panic. Calem stumbled back, nearly tripping over Kit as she raced around with flailing arms. Birds erupted from the trees deeper in the forest, cutting through sunbeams and plunging the duo in darkness every few seconds. When the sound died and the birds passed, Calem recovered and straightened up.

“What was that?!” Kit wailed, clinging to his pant leg, eyes watering in terror.

Calem shrugged, trying to shake off his own fear. “Sounded like a scream. It’s pretty far ahead of us, though.”

“Let’s turn back,” Kit pleaded.

“We have to get to Santalune before nightfall, Kit. No arguments or exceptions,” Calem said firmly, shaking his leg to force her off of him. “Let’s go.”

Kit stumbled back, scrubbing her eyes with her tiny hands. She sniffled, watching Calem walk. “…But I don’t want to…”

“Then stay behind. I have to get to Santalune,” Calem reminded.

With a stuttering sob, Kit chased after her trainer. As his first claim, she had no option but to stay with him. She had promised to, after all. This was her punishment for her over-eagerness to bond with Calem and please Rhya.

The path was quiet for nearly half an hour as they moved. Calem relaxed a bit, even beginning to enjoy the quiet nature around him. Kit’s sobs died again, leaving her as quiet as the world around her.

Calem jolted when the bushes parted and three kids ran out, screeching. They all zipped past Calem and down the road, giving no passing looks toward the boy. From the MoeBalls at their belts, they had to be trainers.

“Master, why were they running?” Kit asked.

Calem shrugged. “Maybe that scream earlier scared them.”

“They must have run a long ways then,” Kit muttered.

Calem kept walking until he coughed. He stepped back, rubbing his stinging eyes. The air around them was turning rather smoky. Something crackled ahead of them. Loud calls and howls erupted from the path north.

“Kit, stay close. We’re running through,” Calem ordered, zipping his coat up to his nose.

“Okay!” Kit nodded, the neckline of her dress pulled over her mouth and nose.

The boy bolted through the trees, the smoke growing thicker. Flames suddenly exploded in front of them, forcing Calem backward to avoid being burned. Trees and bushes erupted, spreading the flames. The howls and shrieks grew louder around them.

 _Fire,_ Calem realized. _Santalune Forest is on fire!_

“Master, look out!”

Kit crashed into his back hard enough to fling the boy forward, nearly tossing him face-first into the trunk of a burning tree. He whipped around to shout at her, only to see another person there. Kit was crumpled on the ground beneath the newcomer, blood staining the back of the Fennekin Moemon’s yellow dress.

The newcomer was a tall woman with short blonde hair that curled close to her face, brilliant red eyes, and a pair of segmented black antennae that stuck out from the top of her head. She wore a tight yellow sleeveless dress that flared out past her hips, sporting black stripes. Her arms from the elbows down became large white stingers, one’s tip coated in red from stabbing Kit. She had black leggings and a sharp stinger sticking out from the back of her waist, at the center of a long black ribbon.

 _A Beedrill,_ Calem realized.

“You’ve picked a bad time to come here, child,” the Beedrill woman said, gaze unwavering. “I had believed you to be with the Pansear. I see I was wrong. My apologies for attacking your partner.”

Kit wasn’t moving. Calem didn’t get why he was so focused on that suddenly. Was she still breathing? Was she even alive?

“The Pansear are spreading their fires rapidly. The Panpour will put them out but any life within will be snuffed if they cannot run fast enough. I suggest taking your partner and leaving,” the Beedrill said, turning away.

“…Santalune! I need to get to Santalune!” Calem choked out.

The Beedrill Moemon paused before looking at him. “The main path is blocked by the flames. You will need to go around. Search for the river and follow it north. It will take you to Santalune. Go quickly.”

And she was gone, clear wings flaring from her back to carry her amongst the flames and between the trees.

Calem moved, trying not to choke on the thickening smoke. He lunged, grabbing Kit from the grass. She was still breathing, coughs escaping her, but her face held a purplish tint to it. He had no time to puzzle out why that was. He needed to find the river and fast.

He ran in the direction the Beedrill woman said to. He prayed this wasn’t some wild Moemon trick to kill him. Kit coughed weakly in his arms. His vision was blurry from tears thanks to the burning smoke. He scrubbed them with one arm, clutching Kit close with the other.

His feet left the ground and Calem had only a second to build up a scream before he plunged beneath the cold waters of the river. The current dragged him relentlessly north, ignoring his struggles to get to the surface. He kicked and thrashed, pinning Kit to his chest as he fought to live.

Hands on his shoulders, his hips, grabbing at cloth to pull. His head broke the surface and he coughed raggedly, dragging in air. Distant voices echoed around him. His shoes met the bottom and he was dragged into the shallows where the current could not sweep him away. Then the hands left, their owners splashing back into the river.

.o.o.o.o.

Calem was not sure how long he laid there on the sand, staring at the sky and breathing. Kit hacked water onto his chest before passing out, pained gasps escaping her. The purple tint was still on her cheeks. Calem couldn’t move to investigate.

Frankly, he didn’t want to anyway.

The sky gradually grew dark, first from smoke and then from night creeping in. The smoke was weakening, so the Panpour must be doing their job in putting out the flames. Calem briefly wondered if anyone died in there.

…Never mind, he didn’t care right now. He could do that later.

He had to have dozed off because it was pitch black when he next opened his eyes, stars twinkling high above. He was cold, shivering violently. Calem sat up, shaking off the water before standing to get onto shore and out of the river. Kit sneezed and coughed, drifting in and out of wakefulness.

 _Need to warm up,_ Calem decided, shivering. _Maybe a Pansear is nearby?_

The forest was as dead and quiet as it had been before the fire. There was no sign of life. He eventually found a tree to curl up against, keeping the trembling Kit against his chest. It was really cold but it was the best Calem could do.

 _If you want to get warm, share body heat directly,_ Calem recalled Rhya once saying.

But that would involve getting naked with Kit. And the last time that happened…

Calem shuddered, shaking his head. Nope, their clothes were staying on. Surely they’d dry out eventually and get warm again. Right?

Calem didn’t think about it for much longer. He was cold and tired. His eyelids drooped. He prayed morning came quickly.

He slept.

.o.o.o.o.

Heat.

That was the first thing he registered when he drifted awake. The sky was still dark, so he’d only been out for an hour or two. Kit was shivering violently against his chest. Their wet clothes clung to their skin, increasing the chill they felt.

A small fire was built close by them, twigs and small branches being devoured by hungry flames. A ring of small rocks kept the fire from leaping out, confining it to the pile of sticks and twigs.

_Who built it? And why?_

“You really should take your clothes off. Not all of them but the wet stuff definitely. You’ll get sick, even with the fire going.”

There was a boy about Calem’s age sitting across the fire from them. He was a bit shorter than Calem with blonde hair and brown eyes. His cheeks were reddish and there was a pair of long yellow ears poking from his head, the tips black. He wore a yellow t-shirt and shorts. A jagged lightning bolt tail twitched behind him.

 _A Pikachu,_ Calem realized. He’d never seen one in real life before, only on TV.

The Pikachu Moemon rose, picking up a few berries that were piled near him. He circled around the fire and dropped into a crouch beside Calem. He dumped the berries on the ground by the boy’s leg before lifting up a pink heart-shaped one.

“Give this to your Fennekin. She’s poisoned, you know. Probably from a Scatterbug or Weedle or something.”

“Beedrill,” Calem corrected.

“Beedrill? They came out?” the Pikachu asked, surprised. Then he frowned. “Probably because of the Pansear. Yeah, that sounds right. No wonder she fainted so fast.”

“Fainted?”

“Yeah, fainted. That’s why she isn’t waking up,” the Pikachu explained, clearly annoyed. “You didn’t notice? You’re a pretty poor trainer.”

“I was running from the fire,” Calem tried to explain.

“And didn’t bother to figure out why your partner wasn’t running as fast or keeping up or functioning normally, I assume,” the Pikachu guessed. “You never noticed the purple on her face or how bad the wound on her back is. I’d say she was nearly knocked out by the strike alone. The poison did the rest. You seriously didn’t stop to realize something was wrong with her?”

“I couldn’t! The fire—”

“Means nothing if your Moemon die before you get out. Don’t you have Potions or Antidotes or whatever you kids carry to heal stuff?” the Pikachu demanded, temper flaring.

“…I have Potions…”

“Then why didn’t you use them?”

“I… I… I…”

“ _I-I-I_ what?” the Pikachu growled, mocking his stutter.

“I needed to get to Santalune as fast as possible!” Calem spat.

“So you risked the health and ultimately the life of your Moemon to do it. Judging from the empty MoeBalls at your belt, she’s your starter. Your only Moemon. And you were willing to get her killed so you could hit the next town. What the hell!”

“I wasn’t trying to! I thought she was—”

“Did you even think about her? Because I bet you didn’t!” the Pikachu interrupted harshly. “You’re one of those types that don’t care what happen to your Moemon so long as your goals are achieved. Geez, you’re already selfish as all hell and you’re just starting out! I feel bad for her. I bet she loves you lots. Starters always do. That’s why it’s so easy to abuse them like this!”

“You don’t know anything about Kit and me!” Calem argued.

“I can tell a lot just by looking!” the Pikachu countered. “You’re a selfish prick who only cares about yourself and what you want. Your starter will never complain so she suffers and you don’t care.”

“She suffers? _She_ is the one who raped _me_!” Calem shouted.

Silence reigned for several minutes, with only the crackling of the flames breaking it. The Pikachu just stared.

“…What?”

“She. Raped. Me,” Calem said slowly, firmly, angrily.

The Pikachu moved, slowly unclipping the active MoeBall at Calem’s belt. The red heart shone brightly in the dark of the forest.

Calem curled in on himself, arms around his knees, face buried in the space between his chest and knees. “I need to get to Lumiose as fast as possible…so I can figure out what I’m supposed to do now.”

“She raped you? How does that even work?” the Pikachu asked in disbelief. “She’s barely a third your size…”

“I don’t know. I barely remember. My mom’s Rhyhorn told her that we needed to be really close…and I guess Kit interpreted that to mean we had to have a claim instead of a pact,” Calem explained shakily. “My mom thinks Prof. Sycamore can do something. I don’t know.”

“Do something? It’s a _claim_ , you moron! You can’t fix or break that!” the Pikachu hissed, returning the Moe Ball. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”

“I never wanted it!” Calem argued.

“Doesn’t matter now. It happened. Deal with it,” the Pikachu advised, frowning.

“I can’t just deal with it! I’m ten! I’m not supposed to have a claim yet! Or do any of the claiming stuff yet!” Calem cried. “That’s adult stuff! And I’m part of it now! What are people going to think if they see it?”

The Pikachu Moemon sighed, shaking his head. “Well…not good things, I bet.”

“That’s exactly what I mean!” Calem cried. “I’ll be seen as a freak! Or weird! I’m ten! I can’t handle that kind of treatment yet!”

“Nobody could probably handle that kind of treatment, period,” the blonde boy snickered.

“What am I supposed to do?” Calem mumbled, falling back against the tree in despair.

The Pikachu bitterly chuckled. He shoved a handful of twigs amongst the branches, keeping the fire going.

“So she raped you, made a claim, and now you’re screwed. You’ve got to have the worst luck of any human I’ve ever run into, and I’ve run into a ton of you guys,” the Pikachu said.

“I just want to get to Santalune. Then I can beat the gym, go to Lumiose…and maybe Prof. Sycamore will have answers for me,” Calem muttered.

“What answers? Admit it, you’re screwed. There’s no breaking a claim. You’re stuck,” the Pikachu said firmly.

“But I don’t want to be.”

“Clearly, nobody cares about what you want. You’re stuck. Deal with it and move on.”

“You make it sound so easy to do!” Calem complained.

“Maybe because it is,” the Pikachu shrugged. “You can’t break a claim. Nothing can, except death. I doubt either of you plan to die anytime soon, so you may as well come to terms with your situation, learn to get along, and move on with your lives.”

“It’s not that easy to do,” Calem argued.

“Maybe not, but you don’t really have any other choice,” the Pikachu shrugged, feeding a few more twigs into the fire. “Or do you plan to become hermits now?”

Calem didn’t respond. The fire crackled.

The Pikachu Moemon sighed, glancing up at the boy. His heartstrings were tugged. Cursing softly, he tossed a ball of leaves into the flaming mound.

“I’ll get you to Santalune in the morning,” he finally said. “I know the fastest way there from here. I’ll get you there, I promise. So quit looking so depressed, okay?”

“…Thanks,” Calem muttered.

“Now really, get those clothes off. You’ll get hypothermia or something,” the Pikachu advised. “I’m not going to do anything and your starter’s still unconscious. You’re safe.”

“…Don’t look,” Calem requested firmly.

The Pikachu turned away, back to the flames, staring out over the river in the distance. He heard the wet sound of cloth peeling off of skin. The kid had been a sorry sight when he’d found him curled against that tree. The starter too, soaked to the bone and fainted from poison. But if this all worked out, they’d both live.

“You can thank the Magikarp, you know. They got you out of the river to the shallows,” the Pikachu boy said casually, flicking a stone away near his foot. “They’re the ones who told me that you were here.”

“…Okay, I’m…decent.”

The Pikachu boy turned to see Calem down to his underwear. That was wet too but he wasn’t getting fully naked in front of a strange Moemon. Kit was down to a thin undershirt and underwear. Their wet clothes were in front of the fire on the ground.

“Give it the night and you can dress in the morning. I’ll keep watch tonight, so go back to bed,” the Pikachu said, feeding more twigs to the fire.

Calem jumped in nervousness. Sleep? Naked? What if something grabbed him? Or…

He shook away the memories of the rape. Kit was unconscious. Maybe he’d leave her that way. Besides, the Pikachu would get him to Santalune safely tomorrow. Everything would be fine. Then he’d get through town, beat the gym, and go to Lumiose to find Prof. Sycamore.

…And then what?

_“Admit it, you’re screwed. There’s no breaking a claim. You’re stuck.”_

That couldn’t be true, right? There had to be a way to break a claim. There had to be cases like him, claimed without their consent, that needed to get out of it. There had to be a way that didn’t include him and Kit dying.

…There had to be…

.o.o.o.o.

Calem slept fitfully that night. His dreams were full of fire and Beedrill women and drowning and cold. Of chains and rope and a Moemon’s smiling face that wasn’t innocent. He jolted awake but bit down the scream.

The Pikachu boy was still there, ears bent behind his head to align with his neck and shoulders. He perked up when he saw Calem awake, giving a weak smile. The Electric-type looked tired.

“Finally up? Your clothes are dry. I got us some berries for breakfast,” he explained, indicating a pile of blue berries on leaves in front of Calem. “Eat up and let’s go, okay? I’m tired as hell and I really just want to sleep. The sooner I get you out of here, the sooner I can go home and sleep.”

Calem ate and eventually decided to cure Kit, feeding her the pink heart-shaped berry. She twitched, the purple fading from her cheeks, but did not wake. Calem guessed he’d need a Moemon Center to wake her up now.

Calem stood and stretched before returning Kit to her MoeBall. The Pikachu boy got up too, yawning widely before heading through the trees northward. Calem followed him, eyeing the bushes warily. He didn’t want anything jumping out at him.

The sun was rising high into the sky when the forest finally parted around them to reveal the treeless path of Route 3. It was empty of people, though the grass rustled. Calem bristled but the Pikachu boy moved forward.

“Since your starter collapsed, I’ll protect you until we get to Santalune. Since there’s still grass to deal with, I’ll keep guarding you. Okay?”

“…Thanks,” Calem said, glad to hear that, even if it didn’t show on his face or in his voice.

The Moemon in the grass had to be early risers because they were out in force. Every step was met with a new opponent pouncing, claws or teeth or curled fists swiping. The Pikachu boy dodged them all, most small kids around Kit’s size. His red cheeks sparked with electricity that sent most of their opponents into uncontrollable spasms on the ground. Most were paralyzed by the weak strikes of lightning.

Calem couldn’t help it. He was impressed. This Pikachu boy so casually knocked out his competition and he barely touched them to do it. Electricity arced from his cheeks and fingers and tail, hitting anything too close that was an enemy. The wild Moemon quickly retreated, recognizing the Pikachu Moemon’s power as greater than their own.

“Wow…”

“It’s not too hard. Most of these guys have never seen electricity, so they’re scared of it,” the Pikachu boy explained, stepping around the twitching frame of an Azurill Moemon. “I’m barely doing anything. It pays to have attacks that let you not touch your opponent but still defeat them.”

Route 3 quickly became a cakewalk. The city loomed ahead, people wandering the neat streets. Calem could see the Moemon Center and the gym up ahead. His heart fluttered. Civilization at last!

“The gym leader there is a Bug-type trainer,” the Pikachu boy said. “Your starter should be fine but I suggest hunting down a Litleo or something else as back-up. Just saying.”

“…Thanks,” Calem said.

“Whatever. Good luck finding what you want in Lumiose,” the Pikachu boy said.

Then he turned and crossed Route 3, not encountering a single Moemon, and disappeared back into Santalune Forest.

Calem just stared for a minute before realizing that someone was calling his name. He turned to see Shauna and Serena dashing toward him, waving, worried expressions on their faces. When they reached him, Shauna hugged him tightly.

“Areyouokayohmygoshdidyougetcaughtinthefirei’msosorryweleftwithoutyouandi—”

“Shauna!” Serena barked, stopping the flow of words from her friend. She looked at Calem sadly. “Are you okay? There was a fire in Santalune Forest last night. We were scared you got caught up in it.”

Calem sighed. “I did. This Beedrill told me how to get out though. And this Pikachu helped me get here just now.”

“Really? Thank Arceus!” Serena said, relieved. “Are you and your Fennekin okay?”

Calem found himself wrapping a hand around the MoeBall, covering up the heart. “Yeah. Kit got poisoned and fainted last night. That Pikachu helped me get here.”

“Then let’s get you to a Moemon Center. You can tell Shauna and me all about it while your Fennekin heals,” Serena suggested, grabbing his free hand in hers. “A lot happened with me and Shauna on our way here, too.”

Calem didn’t argue. He let Serena guide him to the Moemon Center. Then they headed for a café and shared their stories about getting to Santalune City.

He didn’t tell them about the rape. He wasn’t ready to just yet.

.o.o.o.o.

“Viola threw so many curveballs at me! It wasn’t even funny!” Shauna cried, tugging her hair.

“I didn’t have much trouble. Though I underestimated her team’s strength,” Serena admitted. “If you plan to fight her, Calem, I suggest at least two Moemon. Your Fennekin should be fine getting through the trainers but don’t rely solely on her. Viola has a Water-type on her that will wipe your starter out if you’re not high enough level.”

“A Water-type, huh?” Calem muttered, sipping his drink. _Then an Electric-type would be good. Kind of like…_

“Oh, I wish I’d caught a Pikachu in Santalune Forest! That would’ve made things so much easier!” Shauna whined.

“You’re being dramatic. You were just fine, Shauna. Your levels carried you to victory,” Serena recalled. “It was her main Moemon that caused trouble. That attack…”

“What attack?” Calem asked.

“It’s a secret! You have to find out by battling her yourself, Calem!” Shauna grinned, a finger to her mouth.

“Oh… Got it,” Calem nodded. _That Pikachu suggested a Litleo…but that won’t help me against a Water-type. I could find a Pansage in the forest…but…_

“Shauna and I will be going to Lumiose today. Should we wait for you?” Serena asked.

Calem flinched. What if they saw Kit’s MoeBall? “No. I can get there myself. I should be there later today. Tomorrow at the latest. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Serena pressed.

“Yeah,” Calem nodded, looking away. “I’ll be fine. You go on ahead. I’ll see you there.”

“…Okay,” Serena relented. “Good luck against Viola. Train a bit more before you fight her. And get another Moemon or two. A Litleo or a Pikachu would be good.”

“Got it,” Calem nodded.

“…Are you really okay?” Shauna asked.

“Huh?”

“Shauna!” Serena hissed.

“You’ve been acting funny. Like you’re hiding something,” Shauna said, staring at her drink. “Did something happen in the forest?”

“…I’m fine. Just tired. It was a long night, what with the fire and all. I got really lucky to find that Beedrill and Pikachu to help me out,” Calem explained, smiling in what he prayed was a hopeful way. “I just really want a good sleep tonight. I’ll be better after that.”

“…Okay. But when we hit Lumiose, I want to battle again,” Shauna declared.

“Sure,” Calem shrugged.

Shauna smiled. “Good! It’s a date!”

“D-d-date?!” Calem yelped.

“Shauna!” Serena scolded.

Shauna just laughed. Calem ducked into the collar of his coat, cheeks red in embarrassment. Did she really just say that? Really?

“Um, Calem? Your Fennekin is fully healed!” the nurse from the Moemon Center called.

Calem was glad for the break. Finishing his drink, he said a swift goodbye to the girls and darted across the street to the Moemon Center. As he grabbed the MoeBall, the nurse grasped his hand.

“Calem, I…noticed the heart. Did yo—”

Calem froze. _Oh Arceus, no. No!_

“It was an accident! It wasn’t me!” he choked.

“No, no, calm down. Nobody knows but me. We have to keep track of these things,” the nurse explained. “Can we…talk inside?”

Calem nodded, heart pounding. He followed the nurse inside, Kit’s MoeBall crushed to his chest. This was it. The Moemon Center nurse knew he had a claim. He never should’ve given them Kit’s MoeBall. It was over. He hadn’t even gotten to Lumiose and his life was over.

They went to a back room. Calem sat in a chair while the nurse sat behind a desk. She looked nervous. Calem felt terrified. He couldn’t sit still.

“Can you tell me what happened between you and your Fennekin, Calem?” she requested. “None of this information will leave this room. I’m just trying to understand what I found. I’m not going to hurt you or your Fennekin. Please be honest.”

“I…” Calem choked. It took several minutes before the words came out. “I…was raped…by her…”

“Raped?”

“Yeah… Two nights ago,” Calem explained, shaking.

“It’s okay. Was it malicious?”

“I…don’t think so? She just…wanted to be closer to me. She…misinterpreted…what my mother’s Rhyhorn told her to do.”

“I see. These things can happen with such young Moemon, but it is very rare to see the trainer out and about afterward,” the nurse admitted. “Frankly, I was shocked when I saw the heart was red. Now I understand.”

“I’m going to Lumiose…to see if Prof. Sycamore…can do something about it,” Calem explained.

“…If you’re hoping to break a claim, it can’t be done except by the death of one of the claim’s pair,” the nurse said softly. “A claim is created to be unbreakable, the full proof of the bond between a person and their Moemon…but there have been people, even Moemon, who have used that to snare innocents.”

“What do you do about them? They can’t stay trapped, right?” Calem asked hopefully.

“Usually if it’s done out of malice, the guilty party is imprisoned and usually executed to save the innocent party. In any other case, nothing can be done except to monitor the pair to ensure no complications arise from such a bond,” the nurse explained. “In your case, Calem…I see nothing malicious. Just a misunderstanding.”

“Then…there’s nothing I can do? I can’t…break this?” Calem asked.

“Correct,” the nurse nodded. “I’m sorry. You cannot hide a claim. The heart will shine through. It’s a symbol of pride to most…but for you…”

“I’m stuck,” Calem realized.

“We here at the Moemon Centers can help if you wish, Calem. You’re not the first one to have this happen to them. It’s a tough transition but we’re willing to help you as best we can.”

“…Unless you can break this…or keep everyone from finding out…I don’t see what you can do for me.”

The nurse sighed. “I’m…sorry to hear that.”

Calem stood up. “Thanks for your time. I’m going.”

He left the room without a goodbye. The nurse stayed behind. Calem left the Moemon Center, wandering into Santalune City. The sun shone cheerily high above him. It was a nice day.

 _There’s no point in going to Lumiose now,_ he realized. _If the Moemon Center nurses can’t fix this…then what can Prof. Sycamore do?_

The MoeBall shook before bursting open. Kit materialized and twirled, smiling. “Morning, master! Oh, is this Santalune City? We made it! Yay!”

Calem couldn’t bring himself to be happy. He was cold, bitter, borderline numb. Seeing Kit so happy just made him feel worse.

_This is all her fault. If she hadn’t misunderstood Rhya, I’d be on my way to Lumiose, fighting gym leaders right now._

He grit his teeth. His hands fisted. White hot anger tore through him.

_“If you’re hoping to break a claim, it can’t be done except by the death of one of the claim’s pair.”_

_“There have been people, even Moemon, who have used that to snare innocents.”_

_“In your case, Calem…I see nothing malicious. Just a misunderstanding.”_

_“You cannot hide a claim. The heart will shine through. It’s a symbol of pride to most…but for you…”_

“Master? Are you okay?” Kit asked, concerned.

“…This is all your fault.”

“Huh?” Kit jolted at the harshness in those words.

Calem turned away. “I hope you’re happy…”

He started walking. He’d call mom and let her know what happened. Maybe call Prof. Sycamore too.

Maybe the Moemon Center was wrong. Maybe there was a way to break a claim and they just didn’t want to tell him.

Kit shivered before trailing after Calem. Deep down, she was afraid.

“All…my…fault?” she squeaked softly.


End file.
